Fishing Takes a Back Seat While Physician Helps Injured Paddler

Robert Key, M.D., and his brother Tim were fishing on Caribou Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness shortly after sunrise on Sept. 21, when they spotted a member of their fishing party frantically waving them back to shore. Once ashore, they were introduced to Bette Braem, 56, who was no doubt happy to make the acquaintance of the family medicine physician from Mayo Clinic Health System in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

Braem tells the LaCrosse Tribune she heard "a snap" in her left leg while unloading a pack from her canoe the day before. Suspecting "something had fractured," her husband, Stuart, wrapped her leg in a bandage. Then the couple broke camp and paddled 3 1/2 miles across Caribou Lake in search of help. Not immediately finding help, Stuart set up a new camp while Bette kept her injured leg in the cool lake water to reduce the swelling. Read the rest of the story.